Controversy over veterans' allowance

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Yukon veterans and families of deceased soldiers are frustrated by a lack of government response to complaints about inequalities in the distribution of veterans' allowances.

In November 2000, a National Round Table was established with First Nations veterans and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) to conduct research into legislation, policies and programs available to First Nations war veterans and their spouses. However, treaty and status Indians, whose participation rates in both World Wars was very high, continue to question whether they received benefits equal to other Canadian veterans after the wars.

Rick O'Brien, regional AFN vice-chief, stated that the veterans are being denied a veterans' allowance because they don't meet the criteria.

"They're being told that they did not return to their reserves. But north of 60, there were no reserves, as we're under a comprehensive land agreement. It's an ongoing battle, and we're not going to give up." Compensation had also been promised to the estate or surviving family members of deceased veterans, but O'Brien quoted examples of where this also had been denied.

Preliminary research indicates that there were approximately 4,000 First Nations veterans who participated in the Second World War and Korean War.

"Despite numerous letter-writing campaigns and lobbying of the federal government, this issue continues to drag on. With the AFN settling into new leadership following the election of Grand Chief Phil Fontaine, it's expected that we'll continue to apply the pressure on the government," he continued.

As soldiers in Europe and Korea, Aboriginal people were treated as any other soldier. Upon returning home, however, some First Nations veterans received enfranchisement letters, which meant giving up Indian status under the Indian Act and moving off the reserve. Only enfranchised Indians could receive the veterans' allowance, which was larger than treaty allowances. Some of the other benefits that were offered to non-Indian veterans, but not to returning First Nations veterans, were supplementary cash grants, re-establishment credit and business loans.

"They did not receive a proper compensation package when they came home from the war, and we've been upset by the injustice ever since. By the time the government started to listen to us and look into it, a lot of the veterans had passed away."

Jan Summerby, media relations advisor with the Department of Veterans' Affairs, said the Yukon veterans did receive the demobilization allowance to which all returned soldiers were entitled.

"What appears to be the problem is that there were many options for veterans to consider, and it appears that all these options were not made available to them. But it wouldn't be correct to say First Nations and Aboriginal veterans did not get the same benefits," she stated.

Veterans' Affairs is reviewing many files of the men in question to see if anything was missed.

"We're still talking and listening, to see if circumstances existed that might have made a difference. But we are finding that the Yukon veterans were compensated in a similar fashion as those who lived on reserve, and received their information through the Indian agent who was their government representative at the time," concluded Summerby.

In the meantime, the AFN continues to ensure that all veterans who applied for government compensation and were rejected are given the opportunity to appeal the decision. "No veteran or spouse, or surviving family member, shall be forgotten or excluded from this process," concluded O'Brien.